


you're what i know (about love)

by xmjcx



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, Some Fluff, What else is new, a lil angst, anna the teacher/artist, elsa the sailor, hans is the bad guy, its me so there's smut, northuldra kristoff, some life lessons too for good measure, some longing and pining, they speak same language bc im too unimaginative for that lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:35:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24126721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xmjcx/pseuds/xmjcx
Summary: When the opportunity arises for her sister to venture out to find the enchanted forest that their father's stories revolved around, Anna knows that she has to come along, too; even if it means leaving Arendelle behind her for a few weeks.If the forest exists at all, then she expects to find beautiful sights and a few trinkets that might add to the stories that she recounts to the children in her class.She doesn't expect to findhim.
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney)
Comments: 39
Kudos: 65





	1. safe, but half as real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _i'm so grateful to you  
>  i'd have lived my whole life through  
> lost forever, if i never knew you ___

“That’s it,” Anna murmurs. 

Cold, bitter wind whips through her auburn hair, causing it to fall into her eyes and smack against her rosy cheeks, but she pushes the wild strands aside and continues to gape at the spectacular view. She raises a shaky hand to her chest and clenches it against the material of her shirt, and a disbelieving laugh escapes her lips.

“I - we’re _here_. Elsa, we’re - we’re really here!”

It’s even more beautiful than she imagined it would be.

The water that has carried them here suddenly clears, the colour draining from a dark, murky blue to a light, soft crystal as it kisses the mossy banks of the shore, and the way that the sunlight shimmers on the surface of the soft waves only adds to the enchantment. 

The now-clear sea splits off into several thin rivers that break up the land, and tall, thin trees line the edge. The tall mountain that she’s spent the last hour or so squinting at is much more visible, now; and the contrast of its white tip compared to the green and orange and yellow leaves that fill the space takes her breath away.

She can imagine how the forest might seem relatively ordinary to the naked, unsuspecting eye, but as their ship draws closer, Anna’s light blue eyes greedily inspect the terrain. She notes the way in which the tall trees curve at the neck and the large leaves cast perfectly formed shadows onto the grass below, nor does she miss how the smaller rivers seem to be evenly spaced apart and the conveniently placed large rocks that sit by the banks. 

Anna’s fingers twitch instinctively for her sketchbook, but she’s left it in her room, and so she grips a little tighter to the material of her plain white shirt as she drinks in the natural beauty before her. 

For so long, she’s dreamed about this place; and whilst Elsa was always more skeptical of their father’s tales, even she had been excited about the possibility of its existence, and Anna chances a glance over at her. 

She’s overwhelmed by the look of awe on her sister’s face - her sister who is usually so composed, so collected; and hot, wet tears prick in her eyes as she smiles back out at the view. 

_The enchanted forest._

It’s not just a fairy tale after all.

“ _T_ _hat’s_ it?” 

Anna’s entire body stiffens, and that uncomfortable feeling that she’s grown accustomed to over the last two-and-a-half days of travelling returns when Hans comes to stand just a few feet away from her. 

She doesn’t have to turn to face in to know that he’s frowning - can hear the disappointment, the disgust in his scoff - and she cringes at the sound of his voice. 

“We’ve come all this way for _this_?” 

Anna has had a feeling that the Westergaard families motives might not be quite as innocent as they originally seemed, and Hans has been nothing short of an utter nightmare since they embarked upon this journey, constantly whining and complaining and generally draining. Still, without his family funding the voyage, they would have never have been able to venture out here - at least not for an awfully long time - so Anna supposes that she’s at least somewhat grateful. 

She’s never been particularly skilled in the art of biting her tongue, though, so -

“I don’t know why you sound so disappointed,” she says, and she moves to lean over the deck of the ship, her palms sliding against the smooth wood. She doesn’t once look away from the forest. “It’s _beautiful._ ”

He clicks his tongue. “Looks like any old forest to me.”

Anna rolls her eyes - he’s paying her no mind, anyway - though she doesn’t respond any further, choosing instead to continue to appreciate the sight. 

She’s been dreaming of this place for twenty-two years - she’s not going to let anyone ruin it for her. 

.

.

.

The anchor drops and the crew clears out, and Anna hovers on board whilst the group begins to set up their temporary camp.

She bites down on her lip and watches as the men and women work together whilst she waits for Elsa to finish up checking over the ship. She offers her assistance, of course - _several_ times, practically _begs_ for something to do - but Hans informs her that she’s better off staying by her sisters side, and the blonde simply waves her off with a knowing smile and reassures her that she’s more than capable of completing the final tasks on her own ship. 

Her sister doesn’t need to tell her outright that she thinks that her helping will actually result in her getting in the way. Anna already knows. 

She’s impatient, is the thing - after all, she knows that there’s no real reason for her to be here, knows that she’s of no high value or importance to the voyage itself, and she longs to sink her feet into the dewy grass and hurry away to explore. It’s a funny position to be in, really; knowing that there’s no valid reason as to why she can’t indulge herself in this place, but also knowing that her sister would want her to stay close at least for their first day.

 _Promise me that we’ll do this together,_ Anna had begged, desperate not to be left behind whilst her sister embarked upon yet another adventure. 

It came with the territory of being a highly skilled Captain, but it didn’t change the fact that Anna missed her terribly whilst she was gone, nor did it mean that she wasn’t incredibly envious of the way in which Elsa was able to freely travel the world whilst she stayed in Arendelle.

 _Only if you promise me that you’ll be careful,_ Elsa had responded; and Anna would have promised the entire world if it meant that she could come on this trip, if it meant that she could see the wondrous place that their father had told them about all those years ago, and so she had readily agreed. 

She couldn’t help but think of how much of an easy promise it was to make, either - after all, Anna couldn’t think of a single reason why she would ever break it. 

.

.

.

Much to the redhead’s disappointment, nobody seems inclined to do very much that first day, though that doesn’t stop her from planning out the route that she might take in the morning.

She looks out from her tent at the open space, and since they’re aiming to be here for at least two weeks, Anna plans on following the route of a different river each day in an attempt to cover all bases. 

She promised the children pictures, and lots of them. They love her tales of enchanted forests and magic and mystery - listen with wide eyes as she tells them the stories her own father told her - and she wonders whether the forest will mind if she takes some trinkets back for them; if she carries a few leaves and pebbles and flowers back with her to brighten up the classroom. 

The crew around her talk of their own plans, and she tries to pay attention, though she can’t help but zone out as they talk once more about crystals and treasure and the money that it will make for them back in Arendelle. It’s all she’s heard about for the last few days, and she’s thoroughly bored of it, now.

Anna’s no expert in enchanted forests, but she has a feeling that their plans for riches and fortune won’t be executed _quite_ as smoothly as the Westergaard’s have led them to believe. Still, Anna knows that it’s this fanciful hope that has allowed her to be here in the first place, so she’s in no hurry to tell them that they’re wrong. 

They’ll figure it out for themselves sooner or later - she just hopes that she gets the chance to really explore and draw some half-decent sketches for the children before they give up and decide to return home. 

.

.

.

Anna’s never seen the sky so lilac or the moon so bright before, and her eyes fill with tears for what feels like the hundredth time that day as she looks up into the vast space.

“It’s all so beautiful,” she whispers, her voice quiet and soft. “Father was right - no words can do this place justice.” 

Elsa hums in agreement from where she sits beside her, though somehow she sounds distant, and she doesn’t look quite so awe-struck anymore despite the fact that she’s looking at the same sky. Anna tries not to dwell on it, but after a few beats of silence, Elsa speaks.

“I -” she tries, purses her lips and then starts again. “Do you feel like - well, that maybe we’re missing something?”

Anna frowns. 

“What?” she asks, confused. “I’m - no. I mean, I don’t think so. Missing _what_?”

Elsa shrugs slightly, and Anna watches as her eyes fall to the ground and her fingernails rake over the soil as she draws soft patterns over the earth. 

“I don’t know,” Elsa admits, her eyes lifting once more. “I just… what if this is all too much? If it’s too good to be true?”

Anna’s heart thunders within her chest, and her light eyes dance around the camp - trailing over the men and women who are gathered around their own tents - before they meet with her sister’s once more.

“What makes you say that?” Anna asks, her voice as low as Elsa’s, and the blonde lets out a sigh as she wrings her hands together.

She opens her mouth as if to say something more, but she hesitates, and then after a few beats, a slight laugh escapes her. 

“Oh, I just - ignore me, Anna, please,” she says, shaking her head quickly. “I’m just being - well. It’s just… overwhelming. You know - that this is _real._ That it’s actually _here_.”

Anna’s shoulders sag slightly as her tense body relaxes at the words, and although she isn’t quite convinced that Elsa’s not a little more spooked about it all, she _does_ understand. The journey here wasn’t easy, by any means; all rough seas and dark clouds, but they made it, they arrived, and Anna knows that that has to mean something.

They talk a little longer - the conversation lighter and easier - though their words begin to slur into yawns and their eyes start to flutter to a close despite their bodies protests, and when they retire to their tents, Anna finds comfort in the knowledge that they’ll both sleep well and feel better for it come morning. 

Sleeping on the floor isn’t quite the same as sleeping in a bed, but at least the ground beneath her is steady and still, and despite the adrenaline and excitement that still courses through her, Anna’s snoring softly in no time at all.

She sleeps well, just like she knew that she would, and though her dreams are pleasant enough, they’re ever so strange; full of clear, running water that never seems to end, of gentle waves rocking her body, of hot springs and shrubs and sweet berries -

and of warm, brown eyes that are unfamiliar, but somehow scream _home._


	2. an inkling

“You know,” Anna says over breakfast, “I had the strangest dream last night.”

Elsa regards her carefully whilst she chews on her food, and she only speaks once her mouth is empty.

“What do you mean by strange?” the blonde asks, her bright eyes narrowed, and Anna hesitates for a moment.

She thinks of those eyes - remembers them so clearly, even now - and thinks of how they made her feel, even whilst deep in slumber. It’s _odd,_ to say the least; and she’s attempted to quickly sketch them several times now - if only to get them out of her head, nothing more - but something’s not quite right with her drawings, something’s _missing,_ though she can’t seem to pinpoint what, or why. 

Regardless, Anna knows better than to tell all of this to her sister. She’ll only worry despite there being no reason for her to, and there’s a part of her that enjoys having this little secret, this something that she can keep to herself.

She doesn’t know what those eyes mean, but they’re significant, she’s certain; and she wants to hold that close to her chest for a little while longer. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” she comments nonchalantly, “I just remember _thinking_ that it was strange, that’s all.”

“Hm,” Elsa murmurs, and she looks at the bowl in her hands for a moment before she speaks again. “I think - well. I think we must have had similar dreams, then; because I felt the same when I woke up, too.”

“Really?” Anna asks, her light eyes widening in surprise, and her sister nods.

The woman who slept in the tent directly across from them agrees, and the man next to her says the same; and soon enough, it appears that several people in their camp had some sort of strange and vivid dream last night, though they all seem reluctant to share any details. 

As they chatter amongst themselves, Anna finds herself daydreaming, and her light eyes wander up to the top of the mountain as she wonders over the magic of the forest. 

Her father always told her that the forest would guide the people who inhabited it hundreds of years ago as a reward for the way in which they respected it. He claimed that rocks would shift and clear out paths, that trees would stretch and bend to form makeshift bridges; but he never said anything about dreams.

She’s startled from her thoughts as Hans comes to sit himself down beside her, a large bowl of food in his hands, and she offers him a small smile as she subconsciously shuffles a little closer towards her sister.

“What about you, Hans?” she asks him, “did you have strange dreams, too?”

He barks out a laugh as he shakes his head from side to side. “No,” he scoffs, “I slept like a baby.” She purses her lips at his tone, though the words that come next cause her stomach to clench. “In fact, I don’t think I dreamt of anything at all.”

Hans isn’t the only person to have said as much this morning, and yet for some reason, his words cause an uneasy feeling to settle within the pit of her stomach. 

.

.

.

Much to Anna’s dismay, there is much to be done, and she doesn’t get the opportunity to explore by herself until the fourth day. 

Elsa isn’t particularly keen on the idea of Anna wandering off alone in the unfamiliar territory, but at the same time, she’s busy talking about plotting out maps and drawing up coordinates; and Anna knows that it’s time for her to make a move once the blonde pulls out her compass from her back pocket. 

She’s beginning to feel restless, and though her drawings so far have been adequate enough, Anna knows that there’s so much beauty for her to attempt to capture with her pencils and paper if she can just get out a little further.

“I promised you that we’d do this together,” Elsa says with a frown, and the redhead laughs softly.

“And we have, haven’t we?” she responds.

Elsa doesn’t look convinced.

“If you wait a little while, then we can -”

“Elsa,” she interrupts, a soft smile on her face, “I’m going to find somewhere pretty to draw, that’s all. You know how long it takes me to colour - you’ll be bored out of your mind if you come with me.”

Elsa still looks uncertain, and Anna steps forwards so that she can clasp their hands together. 

“I promised you that I’d be careful, didn’t I?” she asks. “I’ll keep track of where I walk, I’ll sketch a few pictures, and I bet that I come back before you’re finished with your…” she cringes, not sure of how to describe it. “Ah - map-making,” she settles lamely. 

Elsa cocks a brow at that, though her expression softens, and Anna grins as she moves to release her hands.

“Honestly, don’t worry about me,” she says as she moves to step backwards. “I’ll be _fine_.”

After all, what was the worst that could happen?

.

.

.

Anna curses softly under her breath as she moves through the clearing, her dainty hands gently moving against the branches and bushes that obstruct her path. She’s mindful of the forest and is careful as she moves through it, her light eyes darting around the space as she desperately attempts to get her bearings. 

She’s not been gone for that long - ninety minutes or so, according to her watch - so surely that means that she can’t have wandered _too_ far away, right? 

She had stumbled upon a beautiful clearing that was made up of leaves so green and flowers so vibrant in colour that she just _had_ to sketch them, although after a few attempts of different styles, she ended up attempting to draw those honey-brown eyes yet again. 

She had been so careful - or at least, she thought that she had been - but she can’t seem to be able to find the markers that she had laid out for herself as reference, can’t identify the _A’s_ that she had made a point of marking within the soil; and after a few minutes, she realises that she’s been walking in a loop the entire time, making no progress whatsoever.

The sound of running water in the distance catches her attention, and Anna thinks of how all rivers lead out to the sea - or something like that, anyway - and she thinks that if she can find the sea, then she can find their camp; and so she grips to the strap of her satchel and moves towards the sound.

.

.

.

It turns out that it’s not _quite_ so easy, but nevertheless, Anna eventually finds the source of running water; although the soft hum that fills the air around her as she approaches makes it clear that it’s not the small river that she had initially assumed it would be. 

She steps tentatively through the trees and parts long, green vines to be greeted by yet another beautiful sight. 

Clear water practically sings as it cascades over tall, glistening rocks that form the base of the mountain, and all thoughts of finding her way back to camp simmer away as her eyes dance over the foaming pool that forms at the base of the waterfall. Anna automatically moves tentatively closer towards the swollen sound, knees brushing against the overgrown shrubs. 

Sunlight catches the watery slide and turns it to glitter, and her fingers instinctively move towards her sketchbook as she inches closer. She’s overcome with the sudden urge to toss her satchel aside and kick off her shoes, to rush forwards towards it and dive in head-first, to throw caution to the wind and wet her hair and cleanse her skin -

But then something catches her eye in the main body of the water, something moving ever so slightly downwind, and her light eyes narrow in an attempt to make out whatever it is that’s bobbing beneath the surface. A few seconds later, she’s greeted with the sight of wet blonde hair and dripping golden skin, and panic floods through her. 

Instinct takes over as she drops to her knees and crouches low, her fingernails digging into the soil, and she’s thankful for the overgrown shrubs that conceal her. Her heart thunders rapidly within her chest as she works up the nerve to look out through the leaves, and she blinks through just in time to watch as the person - the _man_ \- slowly moves to stand, revealing more of his bare back to her wide eyes.

He’s _huge,_ and though she can’t see his face, she knows that he’s a stranger, that he’s not one of the men who has joined them on their voyage. She would have remembered a man who looked like _that,_ but that means -

No. It doesn’t make any sense - not when nobody lives so far north. 

Her shoulders hunch ever so slightly as she leans forward, though the movement causes one of the branches to snap, and she panics once more; suddenly reminded of the fact that she has no idea who this man is or what he might do with her - or _to_ her - if he finds her here. 

She watches him intensely and attempts to stay as quiet and as still as possible. She swore to Elsa that she would be careful, and drawing this strange man’s attention to her isn’t exactly keeping to her promise. 

Her light eyes drink in the way in which the water trickles over the skin of his muscular back, and this is intrusive at best, she knows; but she shouldn’t trust him, and so she doesn’t look away.

She won’t run, either. She’ll stay here until he leaves, and then she’ll wait until she’s certain that he’s gone before she attempts to make her way back to camp. 

The man raises his arms, and even from the slight distance, she notes the way in which his biceps flex as he lifts water to his face and scrubs his hands vigorously across it. A short few seconds later, he dunks himself beneath the water again; only this time when he emerges, he’s much closer by the bank. 

She manages to catch a glimpse of his face, and he’s rather handsome, after all; all masculine features with his strong jaw and broad nose, stubbled cheeks and thick brows, and it’s hard to know where to look when he braces his palms against the bank. 

Anna fights against the way in which her curious eyes slip to the droplets of water that trickle down his chest and his arms, and she manages to stifle a quick laugh at the sight of him shaking his head rapidly from side to side, the movements sending water flying through the air from his hair. The more that she looks at him, the longer that she watches him, the more she feels at ease; and Anna bites down on her lip in order to retain her grin as she begins to wonder once more about the magic of the forest. 

It's an awfully foolish thing to think, but _what if…_

The smile that lingers on her lips falls the moment that he hoists himself out of the water and lands on the grassy terrain in one swift movement, and Anna’s cheeks flush a furious shade of pink at the sight of him wearing - well, _nothing._

She’s seen naked men before - alright, she’s seen _two_ \- but those times have been different; and she’s certainly never watched anyone like this in her life. Her face burns deeper as she realises just how wrong this is - after all, she would be mortified if someone was to do the same to her - and her previous thoughts about keeping an eye on him and not looking away disappear. 

Anna squeezes her eyes to a close and - just for good measure - lifts her palms to her face so that she can hide behind them. 

She hadn’t realised just how rapidly her heart was beating, and she focuses on steadying her breathing. Once she’s calmed down from the initial shock of it all, she realises that she’s being somewhat ridiculous; and so she spreads out her fingers across her face and chances a peek through them. 

She’s thankful of the fact that he’s stepped into some dark pants whilst she composed herself, though she hadn’t expected him to have moved quite so close to where she’s hiding, and a sharp, surprised gasp escapes her at his close proximity. 

Her heart near enough drops into her stomach when he freezes at the sound. 

Anna remains completely still as she watches him intently, her light eyes wide and alert as he looks over at the bushes that conceal her. There’s more dark fabric in his hands, though rather than pull it over his head, his fist instead clenches around it as the corners of his mouth turn down.

His eyes narrow, and Anna watches in horror as he straightens his back and widens his shoulders, water still dripping from his damp hair and trailing over his arms and torso. Her mouth goes dry as his own presses into a hard, firm line, and she feels nauseous as he steps over towards the bushes.

She promised her sister that she would be careful, and it will be her own fault for not being able to keep her mouth shut, but that won’t make the slightest difference, won’t change the fact that Elsa will never forgive herself if something happens to her.

She wants to dart, to run; but she _can’t._

The man comes to a stop just a few inches away from the bushes, and Anna holds her breath as she looks up at him through the leaves. His close proximity combined with the fact that he’s really, _really_ tall means that she can’t see much of his face anymore, and her eyes dance over his bare skin from this new angle.

Whilst he’s soft around the middle, the rest of him is all taut muscle and defined features that scream out a life of hard, physical work; and Anna leans impossibly lower towards the ground in an attempt to get a glimpse of his face. He won’t be able to see her, she’s sure, but the way that he’s staring so intently unnerves her.

She watches as he slowly moves to bend at the knees and crouch low to the ground, and Anna’s fingers bury into the earth as he speaks. 

She doesn’t quite catch the word, but her breath hitches once more at the sound of his voice; all deep and firm yet somehow smooth and soft, though her appreciation for it flitters away as quickly as it arrives when the ground begins to vibrate beneath her fingertips. Anna startles, confused; and her eyes widen impossibly as she watches the leaves around her begin part down the middle, opening out to reveal the space where she’s hiding. 

If she thought that she was panicking before, then she doesn’t know how to describe what she’s feeling now; and her heartbeat vibrates through her ears as sunlight kisses her skin. Dark eyes meet with her own as she raises a defensive hand to her chest, and -

Oh.

_Oh._

Those _eyes._

Anna knows those eyes. She’s dreamed of those eyes each night since she arrived, and she’s drawn them far too many times to count since; but despite her best efforts, she’s been unable to figure out what it is that she’s been missing, what it is that makes them so lacklustre on paper in comparison to her dreams.

Now, though, her dreams pale in comparison to _him_. 

He’s completely still as he crouches before her, his brows furrowing together as she gapes over at him. Those eyes trail slowly over her entire body, and oh _god,_ he’s still shirtless, and she’s just - just _staring,_ and - 

“Oh!” she says as she scrambles to sit up straighter. “Erm, I - _hi_ ,” she stammers.

Anna busies her trembling hands by brushing her palms over her dark leggings before she gathers up her hair into her hands and pulls it round the back of her neck. The long, loose waves tumble over one of her shoulders, and she feels her face warm under his intense gaze. 

He’s frowning, brows knotting deeply together, though Anna doesn’t think that he looks angry or irritated, per se - just… _confused._

Silence passes between them for a few beats, and it dawns upon her that this man might not have any idea what it is that she’s even saying to him. She cringes at her own ignorance as she clears her throat, and she drops her raised hand away from her face as she speaks once more.

“Hello,” she says, her tone much less confident this time; but Anna doesn’t miss the way in which his tense shoulders ease at the reveal of her face, and her eyes widen at the sight of his lips quirking at one side. 

“Hello,” he repeats.

It’s a simple enough word, but she’s completely dumbfounded; and Anna blinks once, twice, and then grins in disbelief, a small laugh escaping her lips as she looks at him. Giddy excitement bubbles within her, and suddenly, she wants to know _everything -_ not just his name and where he comes from, but who he _is_ and why his eyes have been filling her dreams each night.

Her heart still pounds in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her as she nods her head rapidly. 

“I - _yes,_ ” she tells him, “hello! You - you can understand me?”

The stranger huffs at her question, and Anna attempts to keep her eyes locked onto his, although the reminder that this man remains bare above the waist is rather distracting. The blush returns to her cheeks, though he doesn’t seem uncomfortable in the slightest.

“Yes,” he confirms, his voice distracting her from her embarrassment, “you speak my language.”

He says it in a tone that’s so very matter-of-fact, and Anna can’t help but laugh once more. She’s relieved, she supposes; relieved that he’s not raising a weapon or reaching to grab her, relieved that the tension in his face seems to be easing and turning into an expression of curiosity rather than confusion. 

“You’re right,” she tells him, “I do.”

He doesn’t say anything at all to that, and Anna clears her throat before she changes her position, pushing herself upright so that she’s kneeling before him rather than being half-crouched into the floor. Her lashes flutter as she falls into those eyes once more, and she’s overwhelmed with the desire to just - well, _learn._

She thinks of what Elsa said that first night - about all of this being too good to be true - but looking at these eyes - _his_ eyes - she knows for certain that her sister was so very wrong.

“I’m Anna,” she finds herself telling him, and the remaining tension on his face and in his shoulders eases so suddenly.

The stranger exhales a long, deep breath before he speaks once more.

“Anna,” he repeats, and she’s never heard anyone say her name quite like _that_ before. 

He softens the vowels in a way that causes her chest to tighten, and she beams as she shuffles against the ground, angling herself further towards him. She watches as he raises one of his large hands to his chest, and he presses his palm flat against his skin as he blinks at her. 

“Kristoff,” he says, and her heart beats impossibly faster.

“Kristoff,” she repeats, and finally, he smiles. 


	3. seeing true

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> endless thank you's to liv for bouncing around so many different plot ideas for this story with me & just being a general blessing x

“So you - you _live_ here?” Anna asks, her eyes wide as she blinks dreamily around the forest.

The redhead makes a point of keeping her chin tilted and her eyes raised whilst Kristoff shrugs on the rest of his clothes, and once she can no longer see him moving out of her peripheral, she lowers her gaze and looks over at him once more. 

She smiles as she moves to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and her heart rate picks back up again as their eyes meet.

Nobody has ever looked at her quite like this before. His dark eyes are so intense; all warm and soft and full of something that she doesn’t quite understand, and Anna flushes under his gaze. Still, she resists the urge to duck her head and avert her eyes even as he opens his mouth to speak. 

“Where did you come from?” he murmurs, and Anna swallows thickly as he leans forward, his eyes narrowing as he inspects her. 

She instinctively stiffens and leans back ever so slightly as his face comes closer towards her own, though he notices her hesitance and pauses briefly before he rocks back on his heels. 

“Arendelle,” she answers him, the name of her home slipping from her tongue in a way that feels somewhat strange now that she’s saying it to him. 

Kristoff straightens his shoulders and frowns, his nose scrunching and his brows furrowing as confusion floods his features.

“Arr-an-delle?” he repeats, though he stumbles over the word and doesn’t pronounce it quite the same way she does, and Anna smiles fondly at him as she nods her head.

“Yes,” she says, “it’s -”

Her face falls as she thinks of how to explain it to him. She’s near enough certain that he’s never seen a map of the world before, she doesn’t think that he would know where on earth she meant if she even attempted to explain it to him; and so Anna bites down on her bottom lip before she sighs. 

“It’s far away,” she says in the end. 

It’s not that far, not really - it had taken them almost three days to travel by boat, but that was mostly due to the obstacles that they had to tackle on their journey. The waves of the dark sea had been rough and wild, but her sister was an experienced Captain, now; and she managed to conquer them in a way that no sailor ever had done before. 

“If it’s so far away, then why did you come here?” he asks, though there’s no malice in his tone. 

“That’s a good question,” Anna finds herself saying, awkward and bumbling and irrationally nervous as she runs her fingers through her hair. “My father used to tell me so many stories about this place when I was younger. I always wanted to come and see it for myself, but life kind of got in the way, and then when the opportunity _did_ come up, I figured that maybe I…” 

She trails off, her eyes darting around his face. She’s rambling, and she’s certain that he probably doesn’t understand half of what it is that she’s saying, and she doesn’t even know why she’s telling him half of this - 

But he’s smiling at her like her voice is the loveliest thing that he’s ever heard, and the sight of his gentle expression causes the doubt and uncertainty to ease.

“I want to be able to take back stories that I can tell to the children,” she explains, her voice quieter, now. “Stories that are my own.”

“Children?” he asks, and Anna nods.

“Yes,” she smiles, her nervousness dissipating more and more at the thought of bright smiles and wide eyes and innocent curiosity. “The children back home, in Arendelle. There’s lots of them -”

“Lots of them?” he repeats, his dark eyes widening impossibly, and Anna pauses for a moment before she realises what he thinks it is that she’s telling him, and she laughs softly and shakes her head from side to side. 

“I - no!” she says, light laughter in her voice as she grins. “No, no - not _my_ children. They’re just - I’m their teacher.” 

Confusion washes over his features, and Anna purses her lips quickly as she searches for the words that might make him understand. 

“I… the children who live in Arendelle come to me when their parents work,” she says.

There’s more to her job than that, of course; though she has a feeling that she might lose him entirely if she starts to talk about textbooks and lesson plans. 

“I tell them stories, and we play games, and we - well, we learn things. Together.”

His face softens with what she’s certain is understanding with every word that falls from her lips, and her heart skips at the smile that he offers her when she’s finished.

“We have those here, too,” he tells her, “but we don’t call them - _teachers_.”

“What do you call them, then?” she asks, and he shrugs his shoulders as he sways ever so slightly on the balls of his feet from where he remains crouched before her.

“Mothers.”

The casual way in which he says the word causes Anna’s breath to hitch in her throat, though he doesn’t seem to realise the effect that it has upon her as he continues. 

“So, you came here alone?” he asks, though Anna shakes her head quickly from side to side.

“No, I - no. I came with my -”

She doesn’t quite know how to explain the voyage to him or the purpose of her being here, and regardless of his eyes, regardless of her _dreams,_ Anna knows that she needs to tread carefully. Something pulls her to him, she can almost feel it burning within her; but nobody ever imagined that they would find _people_ on their venture, and at the very least, she doesn’t think that Kristoff will take too kindly to the Westergaard family’s plans. 

“I came here with my friends,” she says, and the lack of confusion on his face is enough to tell her that he at least knows what that means. “I lost them, actually.”

“You’re lost?” 

Anna nods. “Yes. I mean, I was trying to find my way back to our camp, but I…” 

She trails off as she explains, and she finds herself hoping that perhaps he could show her the way back to her camp, or at least offer her directions. Her blue eyes light up as she blinks over at him, and she notes the moment when he realises what she’s thinking. 

Kristoff raises one of his hands to rub at the back of his neck. “I don’t usually take people places,” he grimaces, and her face falls. “But - I know the woods,” he blurts out, though he looks rather sheepish once the words have left his mouth, and Anna doesn’t miss the faint blush that kisses his cheeks. “So I can. If you want to.”

He’s nervous, too; and she smiles as she blinks over at him.

“That would be wonderful.”

He returns her soft expression, and after a beat or two of saying nothing at all, Kristoff moves to stand. Anna cranes her neck in order to look up at him, and the dazzling sunlight that radiates around his form causes her to squint. He extends one of his hands out to her, and she watches as his lips quirk into a small smile.

She hesitates only for a moment before she slips her hand into his. 

There’s no powerful spark, no electric shock when their skin connects; but the feels of his rough, calloused palm pressing against her own sends Anna’s heart racing once more, and she bites down on her lip as he helps to pull her carefully to her feet. His thumb rests gently on the back of her hand, and Anna had known even from a distance that he was huge, but his hand dwarfs her own and she has to tilt her chin in order to maintain eye contact with him as they stand, and her skin prickles and flushes as a result.

She finds herself wanting this - to keep her hand in his, to continue to feel the warmth of his skin as they walk back to camp - but it’s ridiculous, she knows. This man is a stranger, and no matter how much she’s dreamed of his eyes, no matter how certain she is that the forest brought her to this spot for a reason, she can’t exactly just walk hand-in-hand with him.

So, she pulls her hand away and tries her best not to think about the way in which his smile falters as a result, and Anna busies herself by brushing away the lingering dirt and soil from her dark leggings in an attempt to do anything other than think about that brief contact.

.

.

.

He wasn’t lying or over-exaggerating when he told her that he knew the woods, and even with a vague description of her camp’s location, he confidently leads the way through the trees. They walk side-by-side through the space, and Anna frowns at the ground as little things about their surroundings soon start to seem familiar.

“It’s the strangest thing,” she tells him, “I left so many markers so that I could find my way back, and they’re all just - just _gone._ ”

“Like what?” he asks.

“Marks in the soil, little rocks and sticks - that kind of thing,” she explains. “But there’s just… _nothing._ Almost like it never happened at all.”

Kristoff hums at that, though he doesn’t say anything more about it.

She chances sneaky glances up at him out of the corner of her eyes whilst they walk together, and she thinks once more that he’s really rather handsome. There are so many questions that she has for him, so much that she wants to know - not just the reason why she’s been dreaming of his eyes or how she managed to find him today, but how he lives here and how he was able to ask the shrubs to part and reveal her to him - yet she feels her questions might be intrusive, might be too much, and so she swallows them down for the time being. 

She hadn’t considered the possibility of not seeing him again until they teeter on the outskirts of the camp, and Anna doesn’t miss the way in which he stiffens at the distant yet distinct sound of voices. 

He leans over to one side in order to peer over her shoulder and get a better look through the trees. Curious, she turns her head ever so slightly over her shoulder in an attempt to see whatever it is that he’s seeing, and she spots her sister immediately in the distance. Thankfully, they’re far enough away that nobody would pay them any mind, but she swallows thickly at the realisation that perhaps he would want to come and investigate for himself.

“Did you want -” she begins, but he shakes his head rapidly before she can actually ask, and Anna’s entire body sags in relief. 

She doesn’t think that it would be the best idea, really. Her sister would be mortified and full of worry about the _what if’_ s, and Hans was - well, _Hans_ \- but still, Kristoff’s been kind enough to show her the way back, and he’s talked to her and listened to her stories about home, and his eyes have been filling her dreams for the last three nights, so -

“No,” he finally says, the sound of his voice pulling her back out of her thoughts. 

He doesn’t look at her, though - instead, his focus remains on the people who are pottering around in the distance, and Anna swallows thickly as she nods.

“Okay,” she says, and then the words fall from her tongue before she can over-think them, “but I want to see you again.”

It’s enough to catch his attention, and his dark eyes widen before they dance over her face. Despite the obvious tension that being so close to her camp has brought to him, Kristoff’s lips quirk into a small smile.

“Me, too,” he says, and Anna’s shoulders sag in relief.

“Where?” she asks, not wanting to sound _too_ eager, but unable to restrain her excitement. “I could try to meet you back at the waterfall, but I don’t know if I -”

“I’ll come for you,” he says to her, his voice filled with certainty. “Tomorrow morning.”

_A promise._

“Okay,” she agrees, and she bites down on her bottom lip in an attempt to control the grin that pulls at her lips. 

Giddy excitement courses through her, and she finds herself wanting to do _something_ \- to push herself up onto her tiptoes, to wrap her arms around him - but she resists. Instead, she looks back over her shoulder once more and tucks her hair behind her ears.

“I suppose that I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” she tells him, and he nods in agreement. “Thank you, Kristoff,” she says, and he offers her a faint smile before she begins to walk away. 

Anna quickly approaches the treeline that leads out into the clearing, and she turns to catch a final glimpse of him. Kristoff is still there, standing stoic and still as he watches her, and Anna offers him a slight wave of her fingers before she pushes through the final bushes and steps out into the camp. 

Elsa finds her moments later, her face softening at her return. “Anna, you’re back!” she smiles, “how did you get on with your drawings?”

Anna wants to tell her, she _does;_ but she thinks that Kristoff might be worth keeping to herself for the time being - just until she’s got the opportunity to spend a little more time with him, to figure him out, and so she smiles softly and shrugs her shoulders.

“Pretty well,” she smiles, “I was getting kind of hungry though, so I figured that I’d come back and just… pick up where I left off tomorrow.”

She doesn’t know what it is that she expects Elsa to say, but she’s pleasantly surprised when the blonde smiles fondly and doesn’t push her about it. When Anna chances another guilty glance over her shoulder, Kristoff is nowhere to be seen; and she exhales softly before she clears her throat and begins to walk further through the clearing with her sister. 

“So,” she says, “how is your map-making coming along?”

Afternoon soon rolls into evening, and by the time that Hans and some of the men return from their search, Anna is fast asleep in her tent; and so she misses the sounds of them all huffing and puffing and bickering amongst themselves about the existence of mystic crystals and whether their journey out here was worth any of the hassle. She sleeps soundly and dreams deeply -

though that night, Anna dreams of so much more than just honey-brown eyes.


End file.
